Fastening device for wrist-watch straps, bands, and bracelets



Oct. 30, 1928.

A. L. NEWMAN FASTENING, DEVICE FOR WRIST WATCH STRAPS; BANDS, AND BRACELETS Filed Aug. 5, 1926 Patented a. so, 1928.

UNITED STATES 7 1,689,640 PATENT OFFICE.

ALMYR L. NEWMAN, or WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND, assrenon To AIL. NEW AN com- PANY, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION or BHODE rsmmn.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR WRIST-WATCH STRAPS, BANDS, AND'BRAGELE 'I TS.

Application filed August 3, 1926. Serial No. 126,803.

' This invention relates to buckles, clasps, or other fastening devices for use with wristwatch straps, bands, or bracelets. and similar articles. 7

One object of the invention isto provide a buckle or clasp with-extendible means for attaching it to the end of the strap, band, or bracelet, said means adapted tobe unfolded or opened out to extend the length of the strap, band or bracelet whereby it maybe slipped off from the wrist without unfastening the buckle or clasp. r

A particular object of the invention is to provide a; lock or fastening-device on the extendible means which, when the latter is fold ed into closed relation, will positively hold the parts from being accidentally opened or extended. I I

Another object oft-he invention is to provide a fastening-device on the extendible means which is automatically locked when the parts are folded togetherand which may be conveniently released or unlocked under the pressure of the fingers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening-device on-- the extendible means which is compact and inconspicuous and while normally hidden from view is easily accessible for manual operation,

Further objects o-f the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: r

, Fig.1 isa view showing a wrist-watch with a two-part strap or wrist-band attaehedthereto and illustrating my improved extendible buckle orclasp with the parts shown in closed relation;

Fig. 2 is a similar "iewshowing the extendible member of the clasp or buckle in opened relation,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged frontview of the buckle showing'the ends of the strap fastened' together'thereby,

Fig. 4: is an enlargededgeview of the same showing the eirtendible member in closed re- I lation;

Fig.

Fig; 6 is afront view of the buckle showing the extendible'meinber fully opened;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the same vice; and

p is a similar View showing the parts of 'lBllQ-BXtCl'lCllblQ member partly unfolded;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view of the locking-device for the extendible member. taken on line8-8 of Fig. 6'.

In accordance with the general custom, wrist-watches are usually provided with straps, bands or bracelets having buckles or clasps for securing them to the wristofthe wearer. In Figs. 1 and 2 of the present drawings 2 designates a conventional type of wristwatch having a two-part band orstrap 3 and 4 attached to the sides thereof. One

length 3 of the strap is usually provided with a clasp or buckle 5 and the end of the other strap-length 4 may be punched with holes to adapt it to be held byflthe tongue 6 of the buckle as illustrated in Fig. I-Ieretofore it has been the common'practice to attachthe buckle or clasp fixedly to the endofone straplength and with this arrangement, applying the watch to the wrist or removing it therefrom, it is necessary to unbuckle or un clasp the strapor band. 7 Only one hand can be used for buckling and unbuckling'the strap so that the operation is somewhat awkward and frequently results in dropping'the watch and breaking it.

It has before been proposed between the end of the strap-length and the buckle so that the whole strap may be lengthened or extended without unbuckling it, but heretofore such means have not been, entirely to provide extendible means or a folding element arranged satisfactoryjdue to the fact thatfithe'extendible member may become accidentally opened or unfolded and the watch. dropped off and broken or even lost. A particular object of the present invent-ion, therefore, is to provide a simple, compact fastening orlocking-- device for the extendible means which snaps into place ,to hold said means against accidental openingor extension, while being con- VQIHEE-Ilt to release with one hand when it is desired .to removethe watch from the wrist. As shown in Figs. 4 t0 7- of the present drawings the'extendibl'e means for the buckle 5 comprises two relatively flat metal straps or plates 8 and 9 which are joined together at their ends by a hinge l0 pivotally con nee-ted by a pin orpintle 11. At the free endof thehinged plate 8 is a. fork member 12 having ears 13 adapted to straddle the edges of the looped end. of thestraplengthv 3 and pierced to receive a suitable D111 14 1nserted through the loop to attach theend of the strapto the plate. The plate 8 is widened where-itjoins the end-member Band is provided with a pierced aperture '15, see Figs. 6 and 7, adapted to receive the catch of the locking-device to be later described.

The opposite hinged plate 9' is attached at its end to'the pivot-pin 16 of the buckletongue- 6. As shown particularly in F 6- and 7 the pin 16 extends through ears 1.7 on the sides of the buckle-frame..5, and suitable ears 18 on the plate 9 are adapted, to straddle the buckle-tongue 6' within'thc sides of the frame toreceive the pin passing: therethrough. Through this last described ar rangementthe hinged plate 9 is pivoted to the buckle to adapt it to swing in relation thereto whereby it may be folded against its connected plate Sin the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. Preferably,the two plates 8' and 9are' curved to adapt them: to conform more or less to the shape of the wrist when the parts arefolded together, see Fig.1.

My improved locking-device for; the. ex-

tendible-meansxofthe bucklois housed in a fl'at'casing 20 located on either of the-hinged plates, but preferably on the member 9 adjacent the point of attachmentof the latter to the buckle 5. As shown'inore particularly in' Figs. 6 and 8. two ears'2: are bent over from the opposite edges oitthe' plate 9 to project forwardly at right-angles to the plane of= its main portion. EXtendingbct-Ween the ears 21 and soldered or otherwise secured thereto is a folded strip of sheet-metal forming thecasing or housing 20 for the slidable locking-clement or latch 22; The latch 22 consists of a fiat strip of metal adapted to fit within the sides of the housing 20 and provided'witha narrowed extension 23 at-its end which pro'ects through a. slot or perforation in-one of t e cars 21. Theextension 23 provides a finger-piece for operating the latch I and is preferably formed witha notch 24 in it s endfor receiving the finger nail... The

I latch 22 has a hooked catch25 which. pro- "jects outwardlv through a rectangular slot or ape'rture 26 in the front ofthe housing 20. 'l he'projection-or catch 25 has a. beveled end i a-daptedfor entrance through the rectangular aperture '15 in'the opposite hinged-plate 8 to engageits shoulder or hook over; thewedge thereof, in the manner as illustrated in Fig; 8,

whereby to lock the two plates-together. A

/ coiled wire spring-27 is held' inthe housing 20 beneath the end of the latch, 22. and tends to n'ormallv slide the latter upwardly as shown in Fig. 6.

My improved device is-azpplied to use in the manner as next-explained. 1th the extendiblemeans and its buckle attached to the 1 end of the strapwlength 3, as previously described. thetwo hinged plates 8 and 9 are foldedv together and locked in closed relation by means-of the'catch 25- projecting through the orifice 15 and engaged over its ed ge. The

. watch; is then applied to place with the strap it isdesired to remove the watch. from the I wrist the wearerinserts his finger nail; in the notch 24 at the end of latch 22' and exerting ax-slight pressure thereon thelatch may be slid' againstthe tension of its spring. 27 to disengage its-catch 25 from. the edge of the slot 15in the plate-member 8. Afterthe catch has been released in thismanncr the two plate-members. 8- and 9 may be swung apart as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 and after theyhave been extended to their fiill length as illus trated in Figs- 2 ands6 the strap may be slid oif over the hand. In applyingthe watch to the wrist again the reverse procedure is L followed. the extended plates 8' and; 9 allowing the strap to be slipped on over the: hand.

- After thestrap is in place on the wrist the member 9 is simply folded against the member 8 in'the manner shown in Fig. 4, whereupon thelocking-device or latch 22 on the member 9 automaticallylocksin engagement with the member or plate 8 whereby .to-hold the parts in closed relation. In this way the latch acts automatically to: lockthe parts of the extendible member togetherto prevent accidental opening so that the-two sectionsof the strap arebuckledtogether as'securely as if; each ofitself Werepermanently secured to the buckle. My improved device therefore insures againstaccidental or unwarranted removal of thewatch and. thus guardsaglai-nst loss or breakage, while atthe same time. maklng for much greater convenience inapplyin the watch to and removing it from-the device is extremely simple in construction,-

practically proof against derangement-or getting out of order, compact in size and i'ncon wrist. It will be observed that theimproved v spicuous, while yietconvenient formanualoperation 1n applying the watch t0=orremov1ng it from, the wrist. 1

While I have herein shown and described 7 my improvement as applied to a conventional type of wrist-strap having; a usual form of buckle it is to be understood that the extend- V ible member and its locking-means is adapted w for use with othertypesfof straps, bands, or

bracelets and with other claspingsmea ns'; Va-- rious other modificationsmay be: made in the form and structure ofthedevice wit-houtdeparting from the scope or, spirit of the invention and therefore, 1 without limiting myself inthis respect.

I-claim:

1. In a device of the type specified, the combination of hinged members adapted to be folded together in overlying relation, means for attaching one end of a strap, band, or bracelet to the free end of one member, means 011 the free end of the other member for adjustably fastening the other end of the straplength thereto, a positively acting slidable latch on one member adapted to engage the other member to lock said members in overlying relation, and manually-operable means for sliding said latch to release the lock to permit extension of said members.

2. A device of the type specified comprising opposite hinged members adapted to be folded one against the other in overlying relation, means for attaching one end of a strap, band, or bracelet to the free end of one member, means on the other member for adjustably attaching the other end of the strap-v length thereto, a latch slidable at the free end of one of said members and adapted to positively engage the opposite member to'lock said members in folded relation, resilient means for holding said latch in locked position, and manually-operable means for releasing said latch to permit the members to be opened or unfolded.

3. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a pair of hinged plates adapted to be folded into overlying relation, means at the free end ofon'e of said plates for attaching it to one end of a strap, band, or bracelet, a buckle at the end of the opposite plate for attaching the other end of the straplength thereto, a housing on one of said plates, a latch slidablein said housing and adapted to positively engage with the other plate to look said plates in closed relation, a spring in said housing for sliding the latch, and means for manually operating the latch to unlock said plates to permit them to be opened into extended relation. 7

4. In a device of the type specified, the combination of a pair of plates hinged together at one end, means at the opposite free end of one of the plates for attaching it to one end of a strap, band, or bracelet, a buckle hinged to the opposite free end of the other plate for attaching the other end of the strap-length thereto, a'latch slidable on said last-named plate at a point adjacent its connection with .the buckle, resilient means for sliding the latch to positively engage it with the opposite plate when said plates are folded into overlyfor releasing the latch to unlock the plates to permit them to .be opened into extended relation. 7

'5. In a device 'ofthe type specified, the combination of a pair of plates hinged together at one of their ends, means at the opposite free end of one of the plates for permanently attaching it to a strap, band or bracelet, means atthe free end of the other plate for adjustably attaching the other end of the strap-length thereto, one of said plates formed mg relation, and manually-operable means to unlock the catch to permit the plates to be opened into extended relation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

, ALMYR L. N EWMAN; 

